Rise of an Empire
by Dakudoragon'naito87
Summary: The Second Galactic Civil War has ended, and the galaxy has survived. Yet peace balances on the edge of a knife as the galaxy heals from the conflict. Ben Skywalker, guided by the Force to the planet Tython, the ancient home of the Je'daii Order is then thrust into a conflict told of only in legend. As the Sith and Jedi of old struggle for dominance in a galaxy ravaged by war...


**Here is yet another story that is based in the Star Wars universe, or my interpretation of it.**

 **AU after Jacen's fall to the Dark side with some things staying the same. Mara is still dead unfortunately, as her death was a big motivator for Ben in his pursuit of Caedus, and this fact is prevalent in most of my Star Wars post RotJ fics, many of which are in the early stages. Sorry people but the main hero has to have tragedy and a reason to keep fighting the villain. Even if it might initially be misguided. Or in Ben's case utterly deserved, just a little out of focus.**

 **The Second Galactic Civil War also lasted close to four or five years depending on which timeline I decide to use. This one, we are going with five. So Ben is nineteen, going on twenty. Because frankly, Caedus was set to pillage and conquer, and then instead we get a short yet brutal, less than a year long war.**

 **Also Ben is going to actually use some of the abilities and powers Jacen taught him while he was trying to make Ben a Sith apprentice, and he is also going to be taller than his EU/AU counterpart, because I cannot wrap my head around having two of the most powerful Jedi simply through their bloodline alone (Ben and Jaina) being close to five six and four eleven _respectively_ for Christ's sake! Good lord, I'm average sized by today's standards, maybe a little on the larger end of the spectrum and I'm six one! Call me conceited if you wish, but every guy I have ever met my age or younger is either more often than not going to be my size or is already taller than I am.**

 **Size matters not however, as Yoda can attest to that, but it still boggles my mind that intergalactic heroes, and people born from a man who is known to be over six feet tall could be so damn short. Seriously, Anakin was six two almost six three. Luke was five seven, almost five eight! Too damn big of a gap. Hell if anything, modern standards, or how a majority seems to pan out anyway, is having the kids be a lot taller than the parents. But I guess having a hero who is a giant would be awkward to film and to make believable. Anyway I'm done now so as they say...**

 **On with the show!**

* * *

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…

Deep in the galactic core above and upon the planet of Tython, events are about to occur that will change the fate of the galaxy in a time fraught with peril and strife. A young Jedi is thrust into a time not his own, with the fate of the galaxy once more hanging in the balance. And only through bloodshed and sacrifice can he hope to achieve victory. For he must guide the galaxy into the balance it has longed for as light and dark must once more unite. The journey is long, the path ahead hidden by shadow. For if Ben Skywalker cannot discover and master the teachings of the Je'Daii, the ancient order which gave birth to both the Sith and the Jedi millennia ago, all will be lost. And the future he once knew… Will be forever consumed by the darkness of war.

"Sithspit! Artoo divert all main power to deflector shields and the chase quad cannons, we need to outrun this fragging bounty hunter and fast!" Jedi Knight Ben Skywalker yelled out from the depths of his personal starship, the _Rogue's Fire._ The young Jedi Knight was stumbling along as more laser fire flaked against the deflector shields of his ship, causing the heavily modified starship to rumble and quake in the vacuum of space. The young Skywalker cursed to himself under his breath as he barely avoided smashing shoulder first into his cabin door, his reflexes allowing his right cybernetic arm to slam into the durasteel plated object; utilizing its strengthened cortosis-weave and durasteel-beskar alloy ligaments, along with its pneumatic muscle strands to stabilize his body as another blast rocked his ship.

"By the Force, I'm sending this damned bounty straight to hell once I get a clean shot at him!" Ben swore as he pushed himself off the wall, dashing for the flight deck of the Corellian _Defender_ -class corvette with his grandfather's lightsaber safely clipped to his belt, praying to the Force that Artoo was doing a good job of evading the bounty hunter.

Judging by the fact they hadn't been blow to kingdom come just yet, Ben assumed that his faithful little droid was doing one hell of a job. The young Jedi shook his head as his boots thumped against the polished floor of the ship, refocusing on the matter at hand. He could worry about the future later, time to focus on the here and now, where it belonged. Taking a breath the young Jedi Knight schooled his features into a mask of focus and determination as the Force hummed through him like an over charged power cell.

He'd survived dueling one of the most powerful Sith Lords ever known and managed to end the Second Galactic Civil War all before he was in his twenties. No way in hell was some low-brow, anti-Jedi bounty hunter going to be the one to take out Ben Skywalker.

"Look on the bright side," the young Skywalker scion whispered to himself sarcastically, rolling his sky-blue eyes as a lock of flame-red hair fell to plaster against his sweat matted forehead. "At least Uncle Han was right about something. Corellian ships really can take one hell of a beating."

Ben had to grin lightly at that as he turned the last corner and slammed his palm against the door control panel, the gentle whoosh of the pressurized locks releasing echoing in his ears as he entered the cockpit. Spying his family's faithful astromech droid, Ben grinned triumphantly as he watched R2-D2 run the bounty hunters starship ragged in trying to land another hit. Yet the young Jedi soon felt his grin fade as he moved forwards and sat at the main controls, the cockpits interior being a rather brilliant reflection on his choice in attire, composed entirely of a mix of grey and black durasteel. Ben looked at the readouts present on the navicomputer, only to see that the bounty hunter was losing ground on them and the gap only continued to grow. Yet Ben had survived too many battles to assume the bounty hunter was out of the fight just yet. It was all too easy to bait a frightened opponent into making a mistake if you let them believe that they had managed to slip through your fingers.

The young Jedi wasn't wrong either. A sudden ripple of emotion surged through the Force, Ben able to determine that the echo was emanating from the bounty hunter's ship; as the anger he had sensed earlier soon gave way to satisfaction and triumph.

"Come on you piece of poodoo, let's see if you can hit me first," Ben groused under his breath, his mask of focus and cool detachment cracking ever so slightly as a wolfish grin grew on his lips as he slammed the throttle forward and drove the _Fire_ straight towards an asteroid belt surrounding the planet below him and his quarry. "Artoo, divert all main power to the thrusters. Run emergencies for the rear deflectors and quad cannons, forty percent on the guns and the rest for the shields," Ben called out to the little astromech as his eyes remained fixed out the viewscreen, watching as the readout for the deflector shields dropped to just above half capacity as the fuel cells for the engines went into overdrive. Ben wasted no time as he slammed the throttle down as far as he could, and hollered in excitement as he felt the sublight engines begin an after burn.

"Woo!" A sudden impulse from the Force surged through his body as Ben, in a moment of warning felt his instincts guide his hand; banking the ship sharply to the left in a tight roll, activating the chase canons that fired off a single volley the moment his ship entered the roll. The young Jedi watched with baited breath as the bounty hunter tried to maneuver past the deadly blaster bolts, only to react to late as the ship faded from the scanners in a hail of laser fire. Meanwhile, the missile that the bounty hunter had fired at the _Fire_ was taken out by one of the blaster bolts mere feet from the starship, the detonation sending a shockwave that vaporised the surrounding debris. "Galactic!" Ben cried in triumph as the smoke and flame from the vaporized starship consumed the few close proximity pieces of junk and debris orbiting the planet.

"Nice going Artoo," he complimented proudly as his hands began to dance across the controls, leveling out the starship as they neared their destination. He turned to look at the droid and gave it a wry grin, leaning back in his chair as he felt his tension and adrenaline begin to fade. Ben swiftly entered a light healing trance as he input a set of coordinates into the navicomputer. He still had a mission to do.

"Artoo take us to these coordinates, and prep the _Rogue's_ retrieval droid for dust off." He ordered as the gentle hum and flow of the Force through his body began to take hold. "And wake me when we get there." Ben said drearily as he felt his eyelids grow heavy, the gentle numbness that coursed through his body as the Force healed and rejuvenated his fatigued muscles, a pleasure he had felt all too often after the duel where he lost his arm against Caedus. Ben Skywalker soon entered a dreamless sleep, a feeling of peace and balance centered within his very being as he looked upon the bright blues and greens dominating the surface of Tython.

The home of the Je'Daii Order and the most powerful nexus of the Force in the known galaxy. The once prosperous former home of all Force-sensitive beings in the galaxy… Before the Great Schism that separated the forces of light and dark twenty-five thousand years ago. And the place where his journey would begin.

* * *

While upon the planet below, deep within the mountains an ancient temple now rested in silence, its halls desolate and black as time took its ravaging toll. Great works carved and forged of steel and stone lay in ruin and disrepair as a great wind howled through the broken and crumbling walls. The temple now all that remained of a distant and long forgotten time, a remnant of a once powerful Order. For as young Skywalker drew closer to the planet's surface, housed deep in the bowels of the temple two figures stood upon a great altar; bathed in the power of the Force as the energy of both light and dark surrounded them. Working in harmony as they were meant to since the dawn of time itself.

"He has drawn near, I can sense him in the Force even from here," one says, voice a deep, rugged and gruff baritone; with his face masked in shadow as he begins to pace along the edge of the stone floor beneath his feet.

"Jacen told you to not underestimate him Revan, and if I have learned one thing in this life, it is that my grandchildren are not ones to boast of others so easily old friend," the other replies, lifting his hooded head to reveal a clean shaven and strong jaw, lips curled into a fine and proud smile as the rest was hidden in shadow.

Revan scoffed as he turned to face his companion, the Mandalorian helmet he wore scarred and burned from decades of battle and strife flashing in the light of the chamber as he did.

"Be that as it may Anakin, I still find it hard to believe that any life-form, especially one that young could possess force potential as potent as this… Present company excluded of course." Revan said lightly with a tilt of his head, watching as Anakin Skywalker began to laugh, nodding his head in agreement as the redeemed Jedi Knight drew down his hood. Revealing with the sole beam of sunlight that managed to pierce the veil of darkness the young man now unscarred and full of life. The man he had been before the darkness within had consumed him, and transformed him into the feared Darth Vader.

"We must simply trust in the Force and in him old friend," Anakin said softly, moving over to lay a hand against the shorter man's armored shoulder. "I trust him to do what is right, as I have with all of my bloodline." Anakin murmured gently, eyes crinkling in warmth and joy as he recalled the members of his family awaiting his return within their realm of the Force. Glancing up and into the light of the sun he could no longer feel, Anakin closed his eyes and smiled before he vanished into the Force to await his grandson's arrival in peace. "May the Force be with you."

Those last words spoken, and then Anakin was gone. Revan stood in silence while bowing his head, before he moved to the center of the altar; footsteps echoing atop the stone and steel of the ancient meditation chamber hidden within the temple. The former Sith Lord fell to his knees, drawing upon the Force in a great burst of light as he awaited the young Skywalker scions arrival.

"I hope his faith in you is not misplaced young Skywalker…" the ancient Jedi whispered through the Force, as the gentle ripples from his actions stirred Ben in his slumber aboard the _Fire_ , "Or else all we hope to achieve will be lost to us… And darkness will consume the galaxy as we know it."

* * *

A loud beep echoed in Ben's mind as the Force began to recede from his body, the Jedi Knight groaning in pleasure as he stretched out tired limbs. Deep and strong, the sound came out almost akin to a growl as the young man rubbed his temples; relief and a sense of energy filling his limbs as he opened his bleary eyes. Artoo's mechanical and shrill whistles continued to go off as Ben sat up in his seat, cracking his back and sighing in relief as he felt the subtle pops along his spine.

"Alright, alright Artoo. I'm up for kriff's sake," Ben groused as he got to his feet, grimacing lightly as he at last recalled the little detail that he had been going through his saber forms before the ambush by the bounty hunter. And had decided to stupidly enter a trance in his exercise gear, being a light grey undershirt and long cotton pants fashioned like those of his Jedi robes.

"Stang." Ben cursed as he looked down and grimaced lightly as a foul odor entered his nose, the sensitive organ wrinkling in disgust as he moved for his cabin… And the small fresher his Father and Uncle had helped him install.

"Thank the Force for small mercies," he said gruffly as he palmed the door release, gently unclipping his lightsaber and tossing it onto his small bunk once he entered his room, grabbing some spare clothes and entering the modest fresher. Sighing in contentment as the sound of running water reached his ears, Ben swiftly entered the stream of warm running water, and took a deep and satisfied breath.

Locks of brilliant fire-red hair plastered to the man's face and neck as he closed his eyes, letting the warm water soothe his stiff muscles from sleeping in the command chair. Trails of the wondrous liquid trailed along his muscular and scarred form, a sensation Ben had found oddly satisfying growing up, as he had been born and partially raised on a Star Destroyer without real water shower units. Yet now he had more important things to concern himself with.

It took only a few minutes for the young Jedi to deem himself reasonably clean as he swiftly shut off the water and stepped into the main portion of the fresher. Running a hand through his hair, Ben was thankful for the ability to see once more, as he moved to stand by the small sink and countertop that came up to his waist.

Allowing the water to drip and collect on the floor beneath him, Ben felt an obscure moment of vanity strike as he turned to examine himself in the lightly fogged mirror hung above the sink. Calloused flesh began to idly trace along the scars crisscrossing his body, the cybernetic limb pressed atop and holding Ben upright as he leaned against the smooth counter fashioned into the wall of the fresher.

Each scar earned and won during a long term of service to the Jedi and the former Republic. Yet Ben was not disgusted or ashamed by them; in fact the grandson of Anakin Skywalker was proud of many of them. A majority of them would have most likely killed any non-Force-sensitive human or life-form in general. That Ben had survived meant something in the young Jedi's mind. His most prominent one however, was not so easily concealed by clothes. And personally, it was his favourite of the collection. The lone scar that ran downward over his right eye and cheek, that was almost identical to the one that belonged to Anakin Skywalker; which he had supposedly received from a Sith assassin in the latter half of the Clone Wars. Yet Ben was more than just a body laden with memories of victories and defeats long gone.

He was significantly taller than his father, now standing just shy of six feet tall with a lean and broad frame at the shoulders leading down to a lean, taut stomach and waist, akin to a swimmer as one woman watching him train at the beaches of Mon Cal had once told him after the war. Flame red hair that was fairly long, shaggy and unkempt fell to his shoulders and slightly below his upper spine in the back like a shallow curtain. Damp bangs once pressed flat atop his head, now having lost their hold fell in front of sky-blue eyes, and if one were to compare… They would be shocked to realize how similar the Jedi Knight's appearance was to his grandfather, Anakin Skywalker. Before the latter's tragic fall to the Dark Side, at the manipulations of Emperor Palpatine sixty years prior.

' _A fate,'_ Ben mused to himself, _'All too possible for any Force-sensitive being to follow.'_ However, Ben was not particularly concerned in regards to his own actions and beliefs. The war and his teaching from both Jacen _and_ his father having taught him that much. He had been tempted countless times by the Dark Side before. He would not let it consume him as it had Anakin or Jacen.

Despite the many misgivings some of the other Jedi within the Order had voiced to both Ben and his father on how closely the son of the Grand Master seemed to be walking that path. As now, Ben turned his gaze to the metallic, and slightly menacing cybernetic limb that he now called his right arm. The limb having been cut off from the shoulder down in his duel against Caedus during their final confrontation above Coruscant less than a year ago aboard the bridge of the _Anakin Solo_. Ben had opted to receive a cybernetic replacement similar to what his grandfather had possessed… According to the Empire's medical records that he had managed to retrieve at least.

He had it constructed in such a manner for two reasons. First, as a dark memento of the Skywalker family's apparent tradition of losing limbs to the Sith… And as a partial reminder of what could happen should he ever stray down a darker path. After all… Vader had always been more machine than man to all who knew him.

The limb was forged from a blend of numerous alloys found across the galaxy, built to withstand and resist even the awesome cutting power of a lightsaber, with cortosis-weave and durasteel-beskar iron alloy being fundamental components of the unique mixture that had been processed to make its numerous components.

The limb itself was coloured a matte black and intertwined with veins of gold and bronze. It shone bright under the sole light fixture in the room, each contour and piece melded together in an almost metallic and liquid grace… A seamless replacement for the one Ben had lost. Clenching his hand into a fist, Ben felt the gentle tingle and familiar sensation of touch as the electrostatic fingertips of his cybernetic replacement, which gleamed a brilliant gold sent impulses and the imprint of touch into the synthennet neural interface that connected the limb to the remainder of his body. The motorized knuckles and ligaments flexing and moving with inhumane strength as Ben looked the limb over from top to bottom.

"I only hope I never see more of my body become like this than is necessary," Ben mumbled to himself as his comlink beeped to life beside him. Glancing down, Ben could only assume they had landed and that Artoo was trying to get his attention.

"Copy Artoo, I'll be out in a second. Prep the swoop bike, I get the feeling I'm going to need it." Ben ordered once he tapped the small device, a series of shrill beeps and a resolute whistle met his ears.

Shaking his head with a grin at his droids response, Ben chuckled lightly as he swiftly began to don his gear, save for the upper layer tunic; leaving his upper body sheathed in a fresh grey undershirt as he walked into his quarters. Yet as Ben neared the door, he felt his eyes being drawn to the workbench off in the corner; its surface covered and lain askew by spare tools and equipment. Ben slowly moved towards it, sitting down heavily with the bench making a dull thump as the young Jedi pulled the individual pieces of the mostly finished Jedi Knight armor he had Artoo decode from a holocron on Ossus.

It was designed to fit over the inner most layers of standard Jedi robes, accompanied by a full body suit for the torso and lower half of the body. It was divided into separate sections of sectioned plate, consisting of a pair of bracers, shoulder pads, boots, thigh plates, breast plate, and an abdomen guard that also protected the groin. He had spent months trying to gather enough of the necessary metals and ceramics that had been used for his arm in order to fashion the armor pieces with the same composition. The armor itself was far lighter than even Stormtrooper armor, and allowed an almost full range of motion for the wearer, a boon for combat in enclosed spaces; particularly in comparison to the other formats and armors Ben had found and given to his father from the holocron decryption.

However in initial testing and simulations run by Artoo, the Guardian variant Ben had been building and modifying was shown to have the slight drawback of not providing the same amount of maneuverability as regular Jedi robes. However, times of war had shown both Ben and a majority of the Jedi Coalition the importance of protection and many were more than willing to take the small cutback if it ensured their survival. Better to live and fight another day right than to have no means of protection at all.

The armor itself was smooth to the touch, with two interconnecting sections that formed the chest piece, with three quarter inch metal bracers and gloves composed of separate sections of durasteel-beskar iron alloy. The lower section had full encompassing greaves and sections to cover his thighs along with a utility belt hardened and expanded to carry more gear and supplies. Ben smiled wistfully as he ran his hands across the smooth surface, stopping as a faint ring echoed in his ears. Looking down, Ben noticed that his metallic index finger had accidentally touched the small Kaiburr crystal shard he had embedded inside the chest piece where the two plates were woven together.

The powerful Force enhanced gem instantly increased the flow of the Force into his body, wisps of the dark blue energy travelling through the opened sections of the limb as Ben felt an all-encompassing presence surround him. Nodding in satisfaction, Ben gently lay down the chest piece and figured it was no coincidence he had decided to look at his armor. His instincts warned of great danger on this planet and in his future, so perhaps having some extra insurance wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

* * *

Ben sighed in relief as he descended the boarding ramp, the lush grasses and forest surrounding his ship one of the last pockets of life and Light side energy on the desolated planet. Ben looked upon the sight with a sense of sadness and regret, knowing that such a beautiful place had only fallen to such a state through the actions of the Jedi and the Sith so long ago.

"Alright, the Force led me this far," he muttered as he drew up his frayed hood from his cloak, his face now masked in shadow as he moved and got atop the swoop bike. "I hope it hasn't been all for nothing." He said morbidly as he looked down to ensure his lightsaber and armor were properly in place. Nodding in satisfaction once he was assured everything was where it should be, Ben's fingers danced across the controls and his readouts in a blur as a shrill and high-pitched whine entered his ears. Choking up on the throttle as Ben ensured the machine was in working order, the young Skywalker then tapped the comlink attachment he had installed in his arm; glancing around as the Force urged him to travel into the mountains he could see off in the distance.

"Artoo keep the primary defense cannons online and send out the retrieval droids to gather some supplies and materials from the area." Ben ordered as he leaned back and belted on the special quick draw holster his Uncle Han had given him for his birthday last year. The Krayt Dragon pearl plated grip of the modified DC-17 Clone Wars era blaster pistol currently holstered within positively gleaming a brilliant sapphire in the odd ray of light that pierced the treeline as the folds of Ben's cloak then fell to hide it from view.

The blaster was a gift his father had given him during the Second Civil War, telling him that it had once belonged to the Clone Captain of the 501st that had served with Ben's grandfather when Anakin had been a Jedi during the Clone Wars. It had been willed to Luke by Vader after the Rebellion had reclaimed Coruscant, since the weapon had been constructed under orders from Ben's grandmother, Padme Amidala, for the original owners part in saving Naboo during the Blue Shadow crisis alongside a then newly Knighted Anakin Skywalker.

"I suggest once you're finished to hit a recharge cycle Artoo," Ben advised, as he leaned down and checked to see if his ration bars were stored and unspoiled. "I get the feeling we might be here awhile." A series of beeps and whistles answered him and Ben frowned lightly in confusion as his comlink attachment translated what Artoo was saying.

"What the kriff do you mean I'm just like my father?" Ben asked sharply, however a resolute beep from his comlink told him that Artoo had ended the transmission. Ben sat in silence for a few seconds, still trying to decipher the droids odd choice of words before he shook his head to get some sense back. He could worry about his droids attitude later, right now he had something to do.

"Here goes nothing," He murmured as he felt the Force guide his eyes until they found where he needed to go. With a twist of his wrist the swoop bike shot off like a rocket as Ben vanished from sight into the jungles and wastes of Tython.

Ben traveled for close to two days along the sands and wastes of Tython once he broke free of the jungle, the Force guiding him through the canyon passes and ancient causeways that dotted the landscape of the once proud and beautiful world. He mused to himself how beautiful this world must have been back in its prime, before the interference of the Sith Empire and the Jedi. When balance was an actual possibility, and not simply an ideal latched upon by either side of the great chasm that separated the two sides of the Force. Ben knew it would be a terrible struggle to try and become as they once were, and it might even be one that could never be won. The two sides had been separate for so long, their ideals to different that middle ground might no longer exist. Yet Ben had to hold out some hope and trust in the Force. It had never once led his astray, and Ben wasn't going to doubt it when he needed its guidance and strength the most.

Soon the young Jedi came upon a grand expanse of mountains and ash, the land rocky and sparse with life having been ravaged for millennia by the Force storms and disasters that lay waste to the once beautiful planet. Ben sat atop his bike in silence, a feeling of darkness and anguish washing over him as his eyes ran across the wasteland before him.

"It's worse than I thought." he murmured quietly to himself, his face forming into a small scowl as he tracked the Force energy that had guided him across the wastes. His eyes traced the path until it seemed to vanish at the foot of the mountains off in the distance. "At least I know where to go," he mused aloud as he gunned the throttle and made a direct path straight for the mountain.

Darkness soon descended upon the ancient world as Ben traversed the narrow paths of the mountain, eventually forcing him to ditch the bike and continue on foot, drawing his hood up and becoming a black speck upon the slate grey of the rock. The chill of the night crept into his bones as Ben continued further up the mountain, drawing the cloak tighter to his body and swiftly activating the internal thermal control systems within his armor.

"Can't be much farther," he said to himself, the light of the twin moons all that allowed him to see as he reached out with the Force to ensure he didn't accidentally walk off the side. His boots kicked up dust with every step as the young Jedi felt the Force grow in strength the further he walked.

Until at last Ben came upon a valley buried deep within the center of the mountain range, the openings for a grand temple carved out from the very stone of the mountain. Ben felt a sense of awe as he jumped down to land before it, the twin statues near a hundred feet high that had somehow survived the millennia of disaster which had ravaged the battered world. As he drew near however, Ben noticed some rather distinguishing features upon the two monuments.

The one on the left, judging from the faded coloration at the base of the grand monolith, had been colored a brilliant white, with what he knew through his studies on Ossus as a Forcesaber held in salute. The broken blade of the weapon it held in its hand was colored a dark blue; this observation based upon the shards of stone scattered around its feet that matched the size and profile of the ancient Force weapon.

The statue on the right however, was cloaked entirely in black; thick heavy plates of armor dominating much of its features as its own Forcesaber was whole and till retained some color where the blade erupted from the emitter, the ruby red of the blade still as strong as Ben believed it might have been when it was first made.

"The Force led me here," he murmured to himself as he lowered his hood, standing in between the two great monuments in a moment of silence and respect as he sensed the Force leaking from the very stone that surrounded him. "I only hope I can discover as to why," he whispered before he moved to sit upon a large chunk of colored stone.

Pulling up his comlink, Ben felt a victorious smile grow on his lips as he felt the Force surge through him like water, with both light and dark side energy bathing him in their power. "Artoo, recall the droids and prep the _Fire_ , I need you to come to the coordinates I'm sending you now," Ben said proudly as he tapped the transmitter on the device and waited for confirmation from his little astromech. "I think I found what we're looking for."

A plethora of beeps and whistles soon reached his ears after the transmission went through, and Ben set himself to wait for Artoo to arrive before he took his first steps into the past of the Jedi.

Ben had been in deep meditation once Artoo arrived with the _Fire_ , his body still and a plethora of objects gathered from the area held aloft in his grasp with the Force as the sound of the sublight engines roaring overhead caused the young Jedi to relinquish his hold upon the power. Getting to his feet, Ben stood unflinching as dust erupted from underneath the descending starship, his cloak blowing behind him wildly as he crossed his arms and smirked as Artoo gently set the ship down.

He laughed as the boarding ramp quickly descended, Artoo rolling down and releasing a quick series of beeps as he drew closer to the young Skywalker heir. "Not bad Artoo," he complimented as the little astromech rolled to face him, Ben propping his hands on his hips as he turned to gaze upon the stone door leading into the ancient Je'Daii temple. "I hope you're ready bud, because I ain't got a damn clue what we might find in there."

Artoo only whistled simply, causing Ben to look at the droid with arched brows and a confused look on his face.

"Seriously Artoo, what the hell do you mean by I'm just like my father?" The little droid didn't bother to respond, only going on his way and heading straight for the temple entrance.

Ben blew away some stray dust as he gently picked up the cylindrical shaped object buried in the rubble of one of the main archives of the temple, Artoo not far to his left as the droid managed to splice into the main computers and was preoccupied with gathering what data he could find on the archaic data systems. Gently moving the object from hand to hand, Ben felt a foreboding sense of darkness surround the relic as the two prongs near what he recognized as an emitter gleamed with a wicked shine.

"A Forcesaber?" he asked himself with furrowed brows as he looked the weapon over from top to bottom, idly remembering to keep his face away from the emitter as Artoo soon moved away and deeper into the archives with a series of beeps and whistles all the while.

"Didn't think one could survive this long, especially on Tython," Ben murmured to himself as he ignored Artoo's sounds, being mildly impressed with the design of the weapon as he reached back and deftly retrieved one of the spare tools he kept in his utility belt for just such a circumstance.

Soon the ancient weapon came apart under Ben's intense scrutiny and mechanical prowess, metallic fingers at last being able to pry loose the ancient alchemically created saber crystal within; which glowed in an intense ruby light as it flashed in his hand.

"It's literally _leaking_ Dark side energy," Ben observed as he held the precious stone in his palm, tendrils of red lightning lashing out and around the crystal as if it seemed to physically _sense_ a Force-sensitive individual in its presence. Ben gently levitated the stone about three inches over his hand, watching utterly intrigued as the light generated by the small gem seemed to intensify as the Force was used upon it. "That's something you don't see every day," he mused with a light grin as he lowered the crystal and swiftly pocketed it within the small loot bag attached to his belt, retrieving the crystal chamber and other parts from the ancient Forcesaber for further examination.

"Dad's not gonna believe this," he said with a shake of his head as the young Jedi moved deeper into the archives after the little astromech droid, using the flash of Artoo's flashlight to ensure that he didn't hit anything.

Together the two veterans traversed the darkened halls of the temple ruins. Each corridor they traversed seemed to bath Ben in Force energy, the ambient presence that lingered of the Je'Daii that had survived here after the battles with the Infinite Empire of the Rakata over twenty-thousand years ago whispering all around as the young man travelled deeper into the mountain. These whispers soon entwined themselves with the anger and fear of other Je'Daii who had died here, from the Great Schism that then sparked the Force Wars, which had defined the Sith and Jedi ideologies for the remainder of known history.

It had been utterly frightening to the young Jedi to read the information the Je'Daii had gathered on the Rakata and their weapons of dark side influence.

A cannibalistic race that had subjugated the entire galaxy under their rule as the Infinite Empire; using the Force and advanced technologies based around harnessing its awesome might to destroy worlds and enslave all the races inferior to them.

Until they had been defeated by a slave rebellion across the universe, and had somehow been stripped of their Force sensitivity. Utterly broken and crippled by their inability to use their own tech, the Rakatans had fled the known Galaxy after their conflict with the Je'Daii; back to the fringes of the Unknown Region and settling once more upon their homeworld.

Ben only shook his head as he banished the images and memories left by his predecessors, willing the Force to strengthen his shields. He was here for a purpose yes, but reliving the lives of the dead was not it. No, the Force had something much bigger planned for him, of that Ben was absolutely sure.

Sometimes he really hated being the one to go for all the answers this time around. Yes his father, grandfather, cousins and friends had their own go round as intergalactic heroes and defenders of the galaxy, but Ben figured his father at least had one more adventure left in him. But Ben also knew it was in his blood to be at the center of whatever was wrong in the galaxy, and to try and find a way to fix it.

Soon the duo came upon a grand room, eight pillars spaced evenly apart dominating each corner as they held the ceiling aloft, faded images of stories and symbols of the Je'Daii scattered around the room in great mosaics and paintings that had survived the millennia of silence. But Ben felt himself drawn to one image in particular, running a hand over the smooth faced stone as the faded colors seemed to come to life once more in a rippling wave in his wake, until Ben realized the Force was giving him another vision.

Ben slowly came to a rest before a grand mural, the familiar figures of the two monuments at the gates now put to paint, as words in what the he recognized from the holocron archives on Ossus as the earliest form of Basic were inscribed between them in grey ink. Slowly Ben traced his hands over the symbols as he recited the words in a trance like state, as a mixture of white and black energy shrouded his body.

"There is no ignorance; there is knowledge," he began as the two figures seemed to move as one and come to life as they appeared on either side of young Skywalker. While the Forcesaber crystal gently levitated from his bag and moved to rest comfortably between the two warriors. Ben remained ignorant of this as he delved deeper into the Force and its power as the two warriors moved to place their hands over top of each other above the Forcesaber crystal.

"There is no fear; there is power," Ben chanted anew as the two figures turned to face him and looked upon him almost in earnest.

"I am the heart of the Force," Ben whispered as his words seemed to resonate like a gentle ripple through the Force across the galaxy.

"I am the revealing fire of light," he called out now as he slowly fell to his knees, almost in prayer as the symbols beneath his hands began to glow. Half in white; the other black. Fire soon crawled along his arms until the young man was bathed in intense white flames, which seemed to banish the shadows all around him.

"I am the mystery of darkness," he said with the faintest trace of a hiss in his voice as the fire extinguished and his body shrouded itself in black mist. Soon all light was consumed by his power as the room became an abyss of infinite black.

"In balance with chaos and harmony," he declared with surety and strength, as the two elements joined within him as they had done so long ago. Shadow and light split the room in half from where Ben knelt; with the two apparitions on the opposite side of what they represented. Light in shadow, Darkness in light. As one the two Je'Daii apparitions looked at the crystal once more and bathed it in their power as Ben glowed in a pillar of white and black energy.

"Immortal in the Force!" Ben roared, throwing his head back as time came to a halt. Ben had at last unlocked the true might of his blood, his legacy as he bent the very fabric of reality to his will. While behind him the crystal surged with renewed strength beneath the warriors' hands, purified by the might of the Force in its entirety.

Ben lowered himself to collapse on all fours atop the stone floor, the room once more fading to darkness as the young Jedi returned to the present; gasping for breath greedily as sweat beaded his brow as the power receded to its slumber once more. Exhaustion the likes of which he had experienced only once before settled in his limbs as his vision darkened at the edges, until he used all of his will to remain awake.

Pushing himself to his feet Ben wiped at his brow, his breathing soon evening out as he relaxed and let the Force sooth his body. Looking around he sighed a little in relief as he saw that the room was how he had originally found it with Artoo moving to his side and beeping concernedly at him. Ben smiled as he pat the blue and silver colored dome of the droids head as he knelt down to retrieve the now pulsing grey crystal in Artoo's servos.

"I'm alright Artoo, and thanks," Ben said a little breathlessly, gently tucking the crystal back into the pouch as he looked one last time at the mural, his eyes becoming slightly distant as a light, proud smile grew on his lips. Ben then he turned on his heels and made for the now open archway behind him, marching deeper into the very bowels of the temple, and one step closer to his destiny.

Artoo beeped sadly as he stood guard at the hidden entrance, as the stairs cut from the stone prevented the little droid from following his master. He watched as the form of Ben Skywalker soon passed from his sensor range, and Artoo sat in silence to await his master's return.

Ben felt the chill of the dark side crawl along his limbs as he delved ever deeper into the bowels of the mountain, eventually drawing his lightsaber as the brilliant sapphire blade illuminated the corridor as he held it aloft and ran his hand along the stone wall that wound almost endlessly downward. Ben's expression had become one of focus and surety as he continued on his way, the gentle thud of his boots against stone mixing with the echo of his breathing in the dark catacombs.

Sweat soon began to bead his brow and matted his hair as Ben ignored the trickles of sweat trailing down his skin to fall to the stone beneath him; the heat almost sweltering in the tunnel intermixed with periods of frigid cold that set his teeth almost into a chatter. The Force was in chaos here, sometimes experiencing moments of clarity and serenity, only to be swallowed and tossed into havoc by the young Jedi's appearance.

"It's just like the holocron said it would be," Ben whispered to himself, the rough timbre of his words echoing in his ears like a blaster shot as he continued to make his way forward. "The Force is chaotic here, wild and easily disturbed more so than anywhere else topside that I was able to sense," he observed as he drew on the Force and calmed the various chaotic patches he met along his path.

It soon caused him to tire rather quickly, as he was now drawing upon both the Light and the Dark Side to achieve balance, but it would be good practice for when he returned to teach what he had learned back at Ossus. Dependent on if his father was willing to listen to his counsel that is.

Ben wouldn't have to worry about that for long however as he soon came upon a stone door, carved to blend near seamlessly with the mountain rock. The young man ran his hand along the smooth surface in concentration, slowly lowering his lightsaber as the light cast by the weapon raised shadows atop symbols carved on the outer edges. Curious, Ben moved over as he leaned closer and blew upon the dust gathered within the edges of the carvings from millennium of confinement.

"Ancient Binary," he murmured as he traced the symbols with his index finger, deactivating the blade of his lightsaber and clipping it back to his belt as he activated the light built into his cybernetic. By the Force he loved being able to upgrade the limb at his leisure, as he held up the arm and scanned the symbols; watching as Ancient Binary code began to spell out in sequence on the small hologram that materialized along his forearm.

"It's encrypted, probably the entrance code or a message for any of the Je'Daii that made it down here," Ben observed as he began to tap away at the holopad and activated the decryption cipher that Gid had installed for him as a gift a year ago. Reaching back Ben thanked the Force he remembered a canteen and took a steep drink of water, the cool liquid stinging his throat as the exhaustion of using the Force to stabilize the numerous chaos points had begun to really take its toll.

Silence soon settled in the stairway as Ben began to meditate, closing his eyes as he centered himself within the flow of the Force. And as he delved deeper into its numerous flows and eddies, Ben saw images, visions flash before his eyes. First was Nar Shaddaa, accompanied by the images of a grand arena, and a lone Wookiee who roared victoriously over the bodies of those he had defeated.

Next was Coruscant, the gleaming spires of the capital blazing with light as he saw a young woman wielding a saberstaff with dark brown hair that fell to just below her chin, smiling at him while glad in armor much like his own. After that came Taris, as he saw another woman, this time clad in what he mistook for Clone Trooper armor propping a blaster rifle on her hip as she looked ahead in concentration. Her dirty blonde hair was pulled back into a harsh ponytail that fell in between her shoulder blades, swinging in a light breeze behind her. The image soon changed to an ancient Jedi temple buried deep in the forests and mountains of Taris, where a young Togruta girl, strong in the Force stared at him with a devastated expression.

From there, it was a world that made his blood begin to boil as he imagined the dark laughter of Lumiya and Caedus in his head.

Korriban, homeworld of the Sith Order and their sacred holy world. And deep in the ancient rocky tombs of the Sith; Ben saw a young Twi'lek woman wearing a slave collar looking around nervously as red lightsabers crashed around her.

The image then shifted to Hal Hutta, the dark green swamps of the planet dank and teeming with all manner of dangerous lifeforms. And Ben saw within the cargo hold of the _Fire_ a woman with slightly darker skin and dark hair held in an intricate knot sitting there, waiting for him.

And last came Balmorra and Hoth, where he saw a Human male in front of Balmorra, and a male Gand placed before Hoth. And through the Force, a voice spoke to him, as the young Skywalker began to glow with power as he slowly opened his eyes, the twin cobalt orbs aglow with immense and ferocious fire.

 _Your journey has only just begun Ben, and the road ahead is long and cast in darkness and despair._

Ben called the Force to his hands, rising to his full height as he planted his feet shoulder width apart; while gently placing his hands palm down upon the cold stone of the door. The room itself began to quake and rumble, stone and dust falling around him as the rock of the door began to ripple and bend under the will of the Force.

 _Remember, trust in yourself and you will not falter. Trust in those that love you and you will not bend to those who seek to control you. Trust in the Force, and it will not lead you astray. Keep moving forward, and stand firm against the storm for in your wake others take shelter from the dark, as you lead them to salvation. Never give in, and you will accomplish wonders. It is your destiny._

And with a great heave, the door disintegrated under the sheer concentration of Ben's power, as he slowly lowered his hands to his sides and strode into the grand chamber. Ben felt the Force recede from his body once more as he moved forward, with a lone pillar of light illuminating the center of the stone floor.

Ben felt no hesitation as he moved to stand bathed within the pillar, as a tremor surged in the Force around him. Ben narrowed his eyes as he suddenly sensed a deep, unsettling disturbance in the Force. It seemed he was not in fact alone within the great room.

Another presence lingered, strong in the Dark Side of the Force. Stronger than anything he had ever faced. A voice that was distinctly male, yet far darker and deceptively gruffer than the one he had heard earlier reached Ben's ears and echoed around him.

 **"I have waited for over three thousand years to meet you young Skywalker,"** the speaker proclaimed as Ben swiftly drew his lightsaber, entering Shien with the blade held by his head in a high guard with the blade lightly tilted back. **"Now let us see if it was worth it!"** The speaker yelled as a lightsaber burst to life on Ben's left and streaked towards him, the vibrant purple blade humming darkly as the two sabers crashed together.

The two warriors strained against one another, the crackle and hiss of their lightsabers echoing within their ears as they drew upon the Force for strength. Ben soon pushed his opponent back and grinned wolfishly as his eyes flashed in excitement.

"I'll try not to disappoint," Ben said with a wicked grin as he rushed the hooded stranger once more; his blade held high in an overhead slash and crashing against the purple blade of his attacker. Ben smirked as he launched his enemy away with a great blast of Force energy, deactivating his lightsaber for a few moments as he tossed his cloak aside and leaving him in nothing but his armor.

Swiftly reactivating the blade and holding his lightsaber to the side, Ben watched as the stranger rose steadily to their feet; the hood falling back to reveal an ancient Mandalorian battle helmet. The thin red visor was cracked and glowed ominously, while the right side of the face was scarred and burned from blaster fire.

Twirling the purple blade, the now silent stranger began to circle the edge of the chamber floor; Ben matching the figures stride perfectly as they assessed one another. Ben felt sweat trickle down his neck and plaster his bangs to his head; his continued Force enhancement and use having taken a grievous toll on his body.

Yet he knew if he showed any signs of fatigue or if he hesitated the slightest bit he could end up paying with his life. He had to keep going, else all he had worked for would be for nothing.

 **"I sense a great fury within you young Skywalker,"** the figure said calmly, **"Let's see if you know how to use it,"** he then remarked. The strangers tone being so inexplicably conversational that it very nearly tripped Ben up; who blinked confusedly for a moment at his adversary until he narrowed his eyes and a great tremor shook the earth as the Force answered his call.

Dust fell around them in fine streams, as rock and steel wrenched and crumbled like so many grains of sand under the sheer pressure Ben's presence cast upon the volatile planet.

Revan, his face hidden by the helmet and his full power let loose felt himself hard pressed, even as an entity of Force energy to simply match the raw power that rolled off the young Jedi in waves. It was wild, and so utterly rich in its intensity that it felt akin to standing within a raging storm.

One that felt barely contained and was ready to be set upon any foe with the pull of a trigger. Yet Revan knew that it was but a mere ruse to lull the boy's enemies into a sense of either panic or false surety; as they expected either a berserker, or one unable to control the power given to him.

Ben Skywalker was neither of these things. He was a warrior, driven and guided by his instincts and coupled that with a good head on his shoulders. He may have been slightly naïve or far too trusting as a child, yet war had changed and hardened the brittle steel into a fine edged blade. Many had seen the changes in Ben Skywalker throughout the course of the war, and while it troubled some, to others it showed the inner fire and strength of the Skywalker family.

The boy was the product of a legacy built on heroes and villains alike. He had been touched by the dark, yet had not succumbed to its whispers. All while not allowing himself to be molded and restricted by the archaic Jedi Code like many of the Jedi had done during the conflict.

The boy was an anomaly, yet he was also the return of a long since dead ideology of Force users. Those who had walked in the grey and were neither swayed nor controlled by either aspect of the Force. A being of balance, as the Je'Daii of old had once been... Before the Force Wars and the earlier conflict with the Rakatan Infinite Empire.

Revan knew the boy would accomplish great things, just as his fellow Jedi within the Netherworld of the Force did. And it would start here in this room.

 **"Show me Ben Skywalker,"** Revan demanded sharply as he spread his arms wide, turning to face Ben fully as the younger Force user raised his blade high. **"Prove you are worthy of the legacy now cast upon you!"** He screamed, the thunderous crash of his voice cracking the stone and the dull boom of it in Ben's ears causing him to grit his teeth. **"OR DIE AT THE HANDS OF DARTH REVAN!"**

With a ferocious cry the now named Revan threw himself towards the younger man; the purple blade of his lightsaber sizzling with barely suppressed Force energy as Ben raised his blade in a parry. Angling the blade down Ben tossed Revan aside and countered with a slash at his chest; Revan barely able to catch the sudden move as he raised his blade in order to block Ben's strike.

The two streams of plasma crackled against each other, as a brilliant light burst forth from where they touched; until Ben and Revan released the lock and swung at each other again. Back and forth they traded blows as Ben's mastery of Form V allowed him to even the field against what he recognized as a much more experienced opponent.

Yet Revan's decades of experience allowed him to keep pace with and predict Ben's moves, the two entering a stalemate until Revan feinted to his left in a desperate gamble to end the fight. This drew Ben to overextend as the Force spirit, bolstered by the natural amount of Force energy on Tython slammed an armored boot into Ben's gut as he deftly raised his lightsaber up high.

Ben merely grunted harshly as he bent forward slightly from the force of the blow, eyes flashing darkly as he sprung up and then slammed the hilt of his lightsaber against the side of Revan's helmet. A sickening crack echoed through the chamber as the chrome plated hilt made contact, sending the dead ex-Sith Lord reeling and causing Ben to duck as the purple blade of his enemies lightsaber swung wildly at his head.

Swiftly holding a hand to the side of his head, Revan stumbled back as a deafening ring echoed in his ears; his body turning from side to side slightly as Ben jumped back and drew his hands behind him and to the left.

Clearing the haze he found himself under and his hearing having returned to normal, Revan snarled as he turned to face Ben once again with his saber held in a decapitating blow. Yet once he fully turned around, the deceased Sith Lord's eyes widened behind the helmet as Ben thrust his hands forward and used the Force to blast Revan away once more. The ancient ex-Sith Lord was thrown back with the force of a thermal detonator, crashing into the stone walls of the chamber as his lightsaber fell from limp fingers.

Ben snarled as Revan immediately began to stir and push himself out of the crater he had formed in the stone. Deactivating his lightsaber and clipping it to his belt Ben drew the Force into his body once more as the ground rippled and time slowed to a crawl for the young Jedi. "I've had enough of this," Ben growled as he pulled his hands back, Revan lifting his head in order to stare at the glowing eyes of Ben Skywalker.

"It's over," Ben said calmly as he thrust his hands forward, twin arcs of white Force-lightning lancing towards the stunned Revan. The reformed Jedi Knight howled in agony and distress as the pure energy lanced through his body, smoke drifting through the air as the Force energy that composed his body was being slowly broken down and absorbed by Ben's assault.

Ben then slowly began to move forward as the room became illuminated from the lightning, using his telekinetic abilities and lifting Revan away from the wall and slamming him into the ground. Releasing the lightning Ben reactivated his lightsaber, the gentle hum of the blade soothing to both warriors' ears. Cool, detached ice blue eyes bored down at the smoking form of Revan, who struggled for breath and lay limp, the final few arcs of Force-lightning crawling along his body.

Slowly turning his head, the faceless mask of Revan stared into the eyes of Ben Skywalker as the eyes behind the visor slowly closed, and a small chuckle escaped from the battered man's lips.

"Well done," Revan complimented softly, his voice no longer dark and menacing as it became that of a young man. "The Force is strong with you young Skywalker... But the path to being a true Je'Daii is shrouded in darkness and shadow." Revan said, his chuckles subsiding as his tone became calm and focused. "You have proven your worth, and now I may rest knowing it is in safe hands…"

Laying his head flat upon the stone floor, Revan then lifted his hand with what strength he retained as the room rumbled and shook. Ben steadied himself as he followed Revan's gaze, as the tan colored stone that dominated the center of the floor moved down and a small cube atop a metal pedestal rose in its place. It hung suspended within a small orb of energy for but a moment, the cube's surface a mixture of sapphire, obsidian, and gold as it gently spun while bathed by the light.

Slowly the field surrounding it fell away, as the cube then moved towards the two Jedi. Ben turned to fully face the object, as a sudden inexplicable urge compelled him to hold out his hand. He watched mesmerized as the cube landed gently in his palm, a soothing warmth coursing through his body down from his hand at the point of contact.

"Take it," Revan gasped, his every breath labored and overcome with a ghastly rasp as his hand collapsed gently to the stone floor. "It is yours," he rasped gently as Ben looked down upon his fallen foe in silence. "The first holocron of the Je'Daii, preserved for over twenty thousand years. The most zealously safe guarded secret of the Jedi Order."

Ben was struck dumb into silence as the ancient Jedi Master spoke; lifting his gaze from the spirit as he hesitantly rose the holocron to eye level. His eyes soon traced the fine contours and curves along its surface with a feather light touch. A gentle sense of joy echoed through him as the holocron glowed a soft blue shade, until he finally placed it into his belt and the room was bathed in shadow once more. Yet one simple question gnawed at the back of the young Jedi's mind as he stared at his metallic hand.

"Why give this to me?" Ben asked softly, his voice but a mere whisper and unquestioningly confused. He slowly turned and took a few short steps to kneel next to the weak and slowly stabilizing Jedi's form. "Why trust me with something so near priceless as to be irreplaceable?"

Ben hadn't been prepared for what Revan said next.

"Because that is what must be done if the universe, nay the _future_ is to survive the coming darkness." The Jedi Master wheezed for air as his form began to fade away, particles of Force energy drifting away on a non-existent breeze as Ben watched the ancient spirit in silence. "This task was appointed to you long before you were born child…and if you cannot succeed, no one will."

Ben was left kneeling upon the cold stone floor, feeling utterly alone in the silent din of the chamber as Revan finally faded away into the Force once again, as the holocron glowed softly in Ben's pocket.


End file.
